Dialogue at the heart of a shared Aotearoa

He is currently serving as an elected Member of both the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board of the Auckland City Council and Counties Manukau Health Board. Dr Choudhary was Associate Professor and internationally recognised Engineering Scientist and Researcher at Massey University for more than 25 years. As a community leader, he advocates for community participation at both local and national government level decision-making processes and believes in fairness, equity and justice for all New Zealanders. He has been honoured with Queens Service Order (QSO) for his services to Community and Engineering Science over 20 years ago and also made a Justice of the Peace.

She has been a passionate supporter of children who ‘walk in two or more worlds’ and is involved in interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue.

Pauline Cornwell has been a teacher for 45 years, with 18 of those working as a school principal. Over those 45 years she has gained qualifications and has taught in early childhood, primary and intermediate settings and has undertaken adult education. She has led parenting courses and delivery of the then new Te Whariki Early Childhood Curriculum to pre-school teachers in Auckland, when it was first introduced, for a Ministry of Education professional development contract. Pauline has studied at Reggio Emilia, in Italy, and home schooled her own 3 children.

Naomi is a very involved member of Beth Shalom Progressive Jewish Synagogue, currently being the Chair of the Ritual Committee and an active participant on the service leading roster. A daughter of a German Jewish refugee, she is co-leader of the Auckland Second Generation Children of Holocaust Survivors Group. Until her recent retirement, she enjoyed a successful career in human resource management in the high technology and medical sectors. She has an MBA from Henley Management College UK and a BA (Japanese and French) from Auckland University.

A successful businessperson across various sectors, from horticulture to investments, Meng has also made significant contributions in local government, serving as Race Relations Commissioner. He is a professional director and a licensed mediator, bringing expertise and compassion to every role he undertakes. Meng’s guiding philosophy is centered on kindness, respect, and giving back to the community, values that have driven his work throughout his life.

He has co-founded five companies in three different countries and is globally recognized for his expertise in strategy and governance. Currently, Rahul serves as the CEO of Philanthropy New Zealand, where he also holds multiple governance and advisory positions within both commercial and community sectors. Rahul's personal journey as an immigrant and father of two young boys, residing in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, deeply informs his work. Outside of his professional life, he is actively involved in his community, coaching Premier level hockey.

Anne was born in Papua New Guinea where her father was involved in education. She and her family returned to New Zealand when independence was declared. They moved to Katikati where she completed her schooling.

After gaining her Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Teaching from Waikato University, Anne worked as a primary school teacher, including roles in senior management.

After a spell as Lecturer at the School of Education at Waikato University, Anne gained her B. Theol and M.Theol (Hons) from Auckland University. She was Priested in 2002, and worked in the parishes of Saint Mark’s, Remuera, Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton, and as Co-Vicar of Chartwell Cooperating Parish, Hamilton before returning to Saint Mark’s as Vicar. Anne has held several Diocesan positions, including being Archdeacon of Waikato. She has been on the Board of Trustees of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, and is Chair of their Proprietors Board. Anne is currently a member of the King's College Board of Governors. She also Chairs the Council for Ecumenism and is on the Executive of the National Dialogue for Christian Unity. She has served 2 terms on General Synod.

Anne enjoys cooking and gardening, spending time with family and friends and walking her Shetland Sheep dog. Anne is married to Chris who is a teacher. She has two daughters.

Anne was Installed as the Tenth Dean of Auckland on July 6 2017.

She holds dual master's degrees and has worked across early childhood, school, and community education settings, with a particular focus on educational inclusion and empowering diverse communities.

Saniya has presented her research on refugee resettlement and education at international conferences and has represented New Zealand at global forums focused on migration, education, and social inclusion. Her work is driven by a strong commitment to fostering belonging, cross-cultural understanding, and opportunities for all learners to thrive.

Beyond her professional contributions, Saniya has extensive governance and leadership experience. She serves as an Advisory Member of the Pan-Asian Public Service Network under Public Service Commission and holds governance roles supporting community and educational development initiatives across Australia and New Zealand. She is passionate about building strong partnerships between families, educators, communities, and institutions to create positive and lasting social impact.